Desiccator.



1. W. BROOKS.

DESICCATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25,1917. i fififi 11. 5t, Patented ay 21, 1918.

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DESXCCATOR.

v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1917. I Lfififi mm Patented May 21,1918.

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James W. BnooKs, or onrcnedntmnors.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21L, 191..

: Application filed June 25, 1917. I Serial No. 176,777.

, To all ohom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES YW. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Desiccators, of whichthe followingis a specification.

My invention relates to the provision of suitable facilities for conveniently and economically desiccating comestibles havingv a 1 considerable amount of water or moisture thereof, so that therein, such as vegetables, fruits and the like, which will effect the removal of the water. or. moisture in an expeditious manner without otherwisezchanging the constitution of the article treated, so thatthe esculent properties and flavor thereof may be re tain'ed unimpaired and the articles so treated may bekept indefinitely.

One of he ob'ectsof; my invention is to provide a suitable and convenient receptacle for (the articles during treatment and to cause a proper circulation .therethrough of the drying medium. In order A this object, Ihave provided means for controlling the circulation I of the drying medium so that the circulation can be regulated to secure the best results upon the particular article under treatment, and I have also provided means for the admission of. fresh quantities of the drying medium to each tray of articles under treatment, so that the last articles reached by: the current or the circulation of the drying medium will not be dependent upon the. action of the mediumalready charged with the. moisture the sun is long and tedious and exposes the articles to contamination by flying dust, while the use of any considerable degree of heat changes the constitutions of the articles and particularly afiects the natural; flavor they are" rendered insipid to effectuate Within and unpalatable. .lVith my invention time is very much conserved, as fruits having any considerable amount of water or moisture, such as strawberries, apples, peaches and pears, may be dried within six hours, and

vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, green 7 beans and other succulents, may be dried in a like length of time. Also with my invention the articles during treatment are protected from contamination.

I prefer to accomplish the divers objects of my invention by substantially the means and in the manner hereinafter fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings that form a part of this specificatiom'in which, n

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved desiccator.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the central portion of my apparatus. j u

. F g. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 3 3, of Flg. 2. and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig.4: is'a detail viewof the baffle or similar heat distributing element employed in conjunction with my apparatus.

In the drawings Ihave employed similar reference characters to designate the same or similar parts throughout the divers figobserved myapparatus preferably comprises a rectangular shaped compartment that is preferably constructed of wood, metal or any suitable material that may be found desirable, and consists of vertical longitudinal sidewalls 10, 10 and a rear wall 11 that con- ..nects; the vertical rear edges thereof. The

front wall may consist of a rectangular shaped open frame 12, provided with a panel 13, of glass or other suitable transpar- .ent material, said framebeing secured to the front edge of oneof the side walls by jmeans of hinges 14, or in any other suitable manthe compartmentthus formed I prefer to provide a plurality of racks or tra'ys15, disposedone above theother, with their longitudinal side, edges resting upon ures. Referring to the drawings, it will be 1 suitablehorizontal cleats or rests16that are disposed opposite. each other, each pair of cleats being in different horizontal planes. The trays just referred to are of Woven wire of a suitable mesh to prevent articles placed thereon from. slipping through the inter stices thereof. The Woven Wire has itsedgesturned over a su1table 1netalor woodenv frame 17 of a size to conveniently fit Within the compartment and be easily removed:

therefrom. A screen 18, of suitable construction; preferably 1 similar to the'trays lti hereinb'efore described, is placed upon the top of the compartment, eitherresting upon employed for d'oinesti'c"uses, is adapted tobe placed" upon" gas 1 stove or]si1n i lar device,

1 above a burner so that the net-mean gear, more f l he" ;heat

Cami-he throng" from the" flame Wi1'l"e1'1ter the compartment and act upon the articleson' the-trays." In or'c' er to pre'ventfa toor'api'd riseof-the'air and also" to" avoid the time having a ha mful action upon v the lower tray andthe article's thie -een, have provided a suitable we; illustrated in jdetail' in Fig. 4 of the clra-xwngsQW'lhbh' comprises flat; rectangw larshapdfpieee'orn etaleo; of strffieient dimensions to cover theflarr'1e'-ofthe' heater, and mounted 'iipon the same, but spaced tl'ierefroin a suitab distance, is-a second or spreadnp'late m; f slightly greater dimensionstha-n th b j e p1ate2opand 'isretain'ed in sp ac'edirelaiti to a-ethane plate by s of suitatl'e" s acers 2 2; that connect j Ii rattan, the articles t be dfiecl are pl upon trays I5 and the latter insert lift) the compartment up n-shamespecti e guides or clea s-anti hetime placed above thebiirfierso that the flame will net ris and i r the articlesen the lowermost e; s readevplate 21" and v Y p the intersticesand betvt een the articles upon the trays pass out at the top of the compartment WhiQlTfS ,i pen; 5 In] o 1 6 v regulate the ailment of i ?hi s g, l ghthecompartment;I pigferw em rey damper. when; refe -ably comprise sheet "of Woven fabric; such as linen 'orftli'elikj that is loosely upon the 156 5 ,qr th compartmeet above thes'cree'n and is adapted to b'ediawn back a slight distance; at" the ends*or si&es,td permit the more feady egriss ortheair after circula- "tioiithiohgH-thecompartment? I prferto a larger" and ment', opeir atgit s bottom, means cur'rent'ofair therethrough; a textile cover provide means for admitting fresh quantitles-of a r to the compartment, and to this end 1 bore a plurality of openmgs or small h-oles 24 in the side Walls of the c01npartment, the said openings being disposed in horizontalrows, each row being located approximately mediate two traysl This adds fresh airwvhielihas had no opportunity to absorb any of the moisture, and provides a means of treating each tray with substan tially the same character of drying medium, so" that a'll of the articles" on the trays will dry simultaneouslyand at a unrform speed. It'will hennderstood that the creation of a current offthe dryin emediiim in the compartmen't will draflwthe fresh outside air through the openings or ports above described, thereby" constituting a thermosiphonie circulation through the apparatus It will also be understood that" the drying medium may be'previ'ously dried before its circulation through the-compartmerrt', but a satisfactory operation or my apparatl'isior domestic purposes maybe h'ad with ordinary atmospheric-airwhich has not been previously dried:

' I? have" herein disclosed a typical 'de's'iccator constructed in accordance with'the prin- -.ip1es-ormy invention; the drmvings being,

in a sense, merely diagrammatic; as-illustratii'rg theprinciples involved. It will" be obyious" to others skilled in! this a'rt that modifications orl refinements Qf'th'e structure be made Withoutmat'erially departing from'theprinciples thereof;- as,,-for example, the structure may be made of metal instead of wood, asilln'strated, or may be made-upon more elaborate: scale for comm'ereial'us'e; All such changes or alterations a're" contemplated as included Within the scope of'my in ention as expressed in the appended claims.-

VVlittt- I; claim. is':'

15A desiccator comprising compartfor creating for colitrolling' the quantity or air" passing through said compartment; reticulated trays,

'sp'a'ced nie'ansin said compartmentforthe reception' and support' of saidtrays, and

oppositerows of ports disposed between the respective tray sup 'jo'rts' wherebyfreshair is adapted-to bedrawn therethrough into said 'compartment' above each tr'ay j by the current of air circulating" therein.

21A desiccatorcomprising a compa'rtnierlt open at its bottom, means-at the bottom: thereof for creating a current of air upwardly th'erethrough, a textile cover at the top of said compartment for controlling the current of air passing;tlie1'eth1'0ugh, reticulated. trays, means for supporting said tr'ay's Within said compartment, and op osite rows of ports disposed between said trays wnei-eby h-esh is adapted w he drawn through the same into said compartment above each tray by the current of air circulating therein.

3. A desiccator comprising a compartment open at its bottom, means at the bottom thereof for creating a current of air upwardly therethrough, a textile cover at the top of said compartment for controlling the current of air passing therethrough, reticulated trays, spaced means in said compartment for the reception and support of said trays, and several opposite roWs of ports disposed intermediate said respective tray su ports whereby fresh air is adapted to be drawn therethrough into said compartment above each tray by the current of air circulating therein.

4. A desiccator comprising a substantially rectangular shaped compartment open at its bottom, means therein for receiving articles to be treated, a source of heat, a reticulated cover disposed upon the top of said compartment, means for regulating the quantity of drying medium passing through said compartment, a battle structure above said heat source, and means for supplying fresh air to said compartment intermediate the article-receiving means.

5. A desiccator comprising a substantially rectangular shaped compartment open at its bottom, a plurality of removable trays disposed therein, a source of heat adjacent the bottom in said compartment, a screen covering the top of said compartment, means regulating the quantity of drying medium passing through said compartment, a baflie structure above said heat source, and means for supplying fresh air to said compartment intermediate said trays.

6. A desiccator comprising a substantially rectangular shaped compartment open at its bottom, a plurality of reticulated trays removably disposed therein, a source of heat adjacent the bottom of said compartment, a reticulated cover for the top of said compartment, a battle structure above said heat source, means for supplying fresh air to said compartment intermediate the trays, and means for regulating the quantity of drying medium passing through said compartment consisting of a piece of fabric removably disposed upon said cover and capable of being moved about thereon.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 6th day of June, 1917.

JAMES W. BROOKS.

WVitnesses:

JOHN A. BROWN, H. SLACK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

